Abstract The next generation of academic leaders in Neurology and Neurosurgery residency programs will require expert research training and mentorship in order to achieve a balanced academic career. Unfortunately, most training programs are better suited to develop the clinician and not prepared to mentor the clinician-researcher or to offer him/her the dedicated time necessary to develop an academic research project. There is a danger of the disappearing clinician-scientist and this danger in a reality in many institutions based on an ever increasing patient care demand and a shortage of neurologists and neurosurgeons. The University of Florida neurology and neurosurgery residency programs have adopted an infrastructure to identify resident researchers early in their training and to advance them toward K awards. This early identification coupled with a milestone driven approach has provided a formula for the success of residents interested in research career paths. This NINDS R25 application from the University of Florida (UF) will focus on the development of a comprehensive early research program to meaningfully engage neurology and neurosurgery residents in research from day 1 of their internship all the way through their residency, fellowship, and successful K award application. This project will provide the potential UF R25 individual applicant access to an ideal research environment with protected time, coursework, mentorship and a strong institutional commitment. UF offers outstanding basic/translational laboratory experiences, clinical research, research facilities, and an expert mentor-mentee experience. Potential R25 enrollees at UF will have access to a freestanding neuromedicine hospital, multiple interdisciplinary clinics with significant research/clinical trials infrastructure, and the core facilities of the McKnight Brain Institute. The potential R25 participant will be identified early in their residency training, placed on a research track and mentored toward a dedicated research experience and ultimately a NIH K award.